[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 149 (Friday, August 2, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47014-47015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-18684]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[NRC-2012-0195]
Configuration Management Plans for Digital Computer Software Used
in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Revision to Regulatory Guide; Issuance.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a
revised regulatory guide (RG), revision 1 of RG 1.169, ``Configuration
Management Plans for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems
of Nuclear Power Plants.'' This RG endorses, with clarifications and
exceptions as stated in Section C, ``Staff Regulatory Guidance'' of the
RG, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
Standard 828-2005, ``IEEE Standard for Software Configuration
Management Plans,'' issued in 2005. This IEEE standard describes
methods acceptable to the NRC staff for demonstrating compliance with
NRC regulations for configuration management and control of software
used in the safety systems of a nuclear power plant.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2012-0195 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You
may access information related to this document, which the NRC
possesses and is publicly available, using the following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2012-0195. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3422; email: [email protected].
NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may access publicly available documents online in the NRC
Library at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the
search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and then select ``Begin Web-
based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's
Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-
4737, or by email to [email protected]. The ADAMS accession number
for each document referenced in this notice (if that document is
available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is
referenced. Revision 1 of RG 1.169 is available in ADAMS under
Accession No. ML12355A642. The regulatory analysis may be found in
ADAMS under Accession No. ML103200047.
NRC's PDR: You may examine for free or purchase copies of
public documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North,
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
Regulatory guides are not copyrighted, and NRC approval is not
required to reproduce them.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Orr, Division of Engineering,
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone: 301-251-7495; email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is issuing a revision to an existing RG in the NRC's
``Regulatory Guide'' series. This series was developed to describe and
make available to the public information such as methods that are
acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing specific parts of NRC
regulations, techniques that the staff uses in evaluating specific
problems or postulated accidents, and data that the staff needs in its
review of applications for permits and licenses.
II. Further Information
Revision 1 of RG 1.169 was issued with a temporary identification
as Draft Regulatory Guide, DG-1206 on August 22, 2012 (77 FR 50727) for
a 60-day public comment period. The public comment period closed on
November 22, 2012. Multiple public comments were received and addressed
by the NRC staff. These comments and the NRC staff responses are
available in ADAMS under Accession number ML12355A529.
Revision 1 of RG 1.169 endorses IEEE Std. 828-2005, ``IEEE Standard
for Software Configuration Management Plans,'' issued in 2005 with the
exceptions and clarifications stated in Section C, ``Staff Regulatory
Guidance of the RG.'' IEEE Std. 828-2005 describes methods acceptable
to the NRC staff for use in complying with NRC regulations for quality
standards that promote high functional reliability and design quality
in software used in safety systems. In particular, the methods are
consistent with GDC 1 in Appendix A to part 50 of Title 10 of the Code
of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) and the criteria for quality assurance
programs in Appendix B to 10 CFR part 50 as they apply to the
maintenance and control of appropriate records of software development
activities. The criteria of Appendices A and B of 10 CFR part 50 apply
to systems and related quality assurance processes, and the
requirements also extend to software elements if those systems include
software.
This RG is one of six RG revisions addressing computer software
development and use in safety related systems of nuclear power plants.
These RGs were developed by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research,
Division of Engineering (RES/DE) with the assistance of multiple
individuals in the Office of New Reactors, Division of Engineering
(NRO/DE); Office Nuclear
[[Page 47015]]
Reactor Regulation, Division of Engineering (NRR/DE); and the Office of
Nuclear Security and Incident Response, Division of Security Policy
(NSIR/DSP). The six interrelated RGs are:
1. Revision 2 of RG 1.168, ``Verification, Validation, Reviews, and
Audits for Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear
Power Plants,'' issued for public comment as DG-1267. The package for
Rev. 2 of RG 1.168 is in ADAMS at Accession No. ML12236A132.
2. Revision 1 of RG 1.169, ``Configuration Management Plans for
Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power
Plants,'' issued for public comment as DG-1206. The package for Rev. 1
of RG 1.169 is in ADAMS at Accession No. ML12354A524.
3. Revision 1 of RG 1.170, ``Test Documentation for Digital
Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants,''
issued for public comment as DG1207. The package for Rev. 1 of RG 1.170
is in ADAMS at Accession No. ML12354A531.
4. Revision 1 of RG 1.171, ``Software Unit Testing for Digital
Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants,''
issued for public comment as DG1208. The package for Rev. 1 of RG 1.171
is in ADAMS at Accession No. ML12354A534.
5. Revision 1 of RG 1.172, ``Software Requirements Specifications
for Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power
Plants,'' issued for public comment as DG-1209. The package for Rev. 1
of RG 1.172 is in ADAMS at Accession No. ML12354A538.
6. Revision 1 of RG 1.173, ``Developing Software Life Cycle
Processes for Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of
Nuclear Power Plants,'' issued for public comment as DG-1210. The
package for Rev. 1 of RG 1.173 is in ADAMS at Accession No.
ML13008A338.
III. Backfitting and Issue Finality
Issuance of this revised RG does not constitute backfitting as
defined in 10 CFR 50.109 (the Backfit Rule) and is not otherwise
inconsistent with the issue finality provisions in 10 CFR part 52. As
discussed in the ``Implementation'' section of this RG, the NRC has no
current intention to impose this RG on holders of current operating
licenses, early site permits or combined licenses, unless this final
regulatory guide is part of the licensing basis for the facility.
The NRC may apply this revised RG to applications for operating
licenses, early site permits and combined licenses docketed by the NRC
as of the date of issuance of the final RG, as well as to future
applications for operating licenses, early site permits and combined
licenses submitted after the issuance of the RG. Such action does not
constitute backfitting as defined in 10 CFR 50.109(a)(1) and is not
otherwise inconsistent with the applicable issue finality provision in
10 CFR part 52, inasmuch as such applicants or potential applicants are
not within the scope of entities protected by the Backfit Rule or the
relevant issue finality provisions in part 52.
IV. Congressional Review Act
This RG is a rule as designated in the Congressional Review Act (5
U.S.C. 801-808). However, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has
not found it to be a major rule as designated in the Congressional
Review Act.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of July, 2013.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Thomas H. Boyce,
Chief, Regulatory Guide Development Branch, Division of Engineering,
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 2013-18684 Filed 8-1-13; 8:45 am]
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